Crib blanket



March 21, 1939. L. MALAH 2,151,434

CRIB BLANKET Filed Oct. 2, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l m/erz Z407 [ILL/AN MAL/4H ATTocA s Y6 March 21, 1939.

L. MALAH CRIB BLANKET Filed Oct. 2, 1937 2 Sheets-Shoot 2 [RI/672L107 L/LL/AN MALAH Patented 21, 1939 PATENT OFFICE CRIB BLANKET Lillian Malali, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 2,

9 Claims.

My invention relates to blankets and more particularly to a crib blanket of the type having a neck opening through which the head may project; and also having means for securing the blanket, at its edge portions, to a crib or bed to hold said blanket in place and prevent shifting movement thereof.

Th primary object of the invention is to provide such a blanket that, when drawn rather snugly over a body, will permit free movement of the torso and the limbs.

To accomplish this desired result, the improved blanket may be made from a fabric having a two-way stretch or a fabric having a oneway stretch, as for instance, a knitted fabric, in which case the blanket will be made in connected sections with the wales thereof extending at an angle to each other to produce a two-way stretch in the composite blanket.

It is a well-known fact that if a fabric having either a one-way or a two-way stretch is distorted by stretching, it willimmediately resume its original shape when the force causing the distortion is removed.

Another important object of the invention is to provide one or more substantially non-stretchable fabric members, having means for securing the same relative to a bed for the purpose of holding said members tightly stretched over a mattress thereon, and to which members the blanket is secured. The purpose of these members is to securely hold the blanket in position on the bed and to prevent shifting movement thereof. These members also permit a fullness in the blanket, or in other words, the blanket has a greater width than the width 01' the holding members to which it is attached.

A further object of the invention is to prevent drafts under the blanket.

Other objects of the invention willappear in the following specification and appended claims.

While the invention is particularly adapted to a crib blanket for infants. it is equally well adapted to bed covers for older children and invalids,

where it is necessary to keep them well covered and prevent them from throwing off the covers.

To the above end, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a crib 1937, Serial No. 166,964

and the improved blanket applied over a mattress and secured to the crib and its springs;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the improved blanket removed from the crib, some parts being broken y; 5

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the improved blanket;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the improved blanket, on an enlarged scale, showing the neck opening and adjacent portion of the entrance opening, with the collar and flap open and said flap and a portion of the collar turned back to expose underlying parts;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view showing the improved blanket in section taken on the line 55 15 of Figure 2, on an enlarged scale, and also diagrammatically showing a portion of the mattress;

Figure 6 is a view corresponding to Figure 5 with the exception that the blanket is shown in section on the line 6-6 of Figure 2; and 20 Figure 7 is a transverse section taken on the line 11 of Figure 4, on an enlarged scale.

For the purpose of showing the improved blanket in an operative position, there is shown in the drawings a crib 8, its spring 9 and mattress III, the drop side of said crib being removed and only the frame of the spring! shown.

The improved blanket, as shown, is made of a fabric having a one-way stretch and is indicated, as an entirety, by the numeral II. Said blanket ll comprises a central section I2, two triangular end sections l3 and end and side flaps or valances H and I5, respectively. Said end sections l3 are arranged with the bases of the triangles at the ends of the blanket Ii and the vertexes thereof at the transverse center of said blanket and extending toward each other.

It will be noted that the outer edges of the end sections I3 extend the full width of the blanket II and their ends are at the corners of said blanket.

The abutting edges of the central section i2 and the end sections l3 are connected by seams l6, and the valances l4 and I5 are connected to outer edges of the blanket H by seams l1.

Formed in the blanket II, at the vertex of the head end section I3, is a neck opening l8. At the' transverse center of the blanket II is a slit-like entrance opening I 9 which extends from the vertex of the foot end section l3, to and into the neck 5 opening l8. Surrounding the neck opening l8 and attached to the marginal edge thereof is an upstanding collar 20 that is open at its front, and the opening therein forms a continuation of the entrance opening i9.

following parts: interlocking elements 23 secured to a pair of fabric tapes24, a slide 25 and its finger-piece 26. The tapes'24 of the slide fastener" overlie the hems 22 and are secured thereto by the stitches 2| and other stitches 21. The-adjacent edges of the tapes 24 are spaced the proper distances apart, so that when the slide fastener is closed, it holds the adjacent edges of hems 22 close together to close the entrance opening IS. A long flap 28, overlying the entrance opening (9 and extending the full length thereof, is secured at one of its longitudinal edge portions to the right-hand tape 24 by the respective stitches 21. Obviously, the hems 22 and the flap 28 completely encase the slide fastener, except its slide 25 and finger-piece 26, when said fastener is closed to protect the infants skin from the metallic parts thereof and completely closes the entrance opening l9.

If will, of course, be understood that any suitable fastening means may be used in place of the slide fastener illustrated, for closing the entrance opening IS.

The left-hand end portion of the collar 20 is extended, as indicated at 29, to overlap the other end portion of said collar, and the end portions of said collar are separably' connected by a button 30 and button-hole 3|. 1

A flap 32 is provided to fully cover the head end finger-piece in its mouth, and also to prevent said finger-piece from coming in contact with the infants skin. This flap 32 is attached at one of its longitudinal edges to the left-hand edge of the central section 12 just below the collar 20, and its head end is attached to the inner edge of the collar extension 29, see Figure 4. The flap 32 is arranged to be. folded over the opposite edge portion of the central section l2 from which it is attached, and is separably connected thereto by two buttons 33 and button-holes 34 in said flap.

To secure the blanket l l to the crib 8, there is provided under the head and footend portions thereof, sheet-like members 35 and 36, respec-v tively, of muslin or other similar fabric having substantially no stretch. Said members 35 and 35, at their'edge portions, which extend transversely of the blanket H and their edge portions which extend longitudinally thereof, project into the seams l1 and are secured thereto by the same stitches which connect the valances l4 and I5 to the blanket H. The inner edges of the members 35 and 36 are free and separate from the blanket ll. Obviously, the members 35 and 36 form a pocket at each end of the blanket I I on the under side thereof.

The members 35 and 36 are secured, relative to the crib 8, by tie-straps or tapes 3'! and 38 arranged in pairs, the former being attached to the outer corners of said members, and the latter to the inner corners thereof. The tie-tapes 31 are tied around the legs of the crib 8 below the springs 9, and the tie-tapes 38 are tied around the side frame members of the springs 9, see Figure l, for example. Said tie-tapes 31 and 38 may, however, be secured to any other convenient part of the crib 8.

In securing the blanket II to the crib 8, the pull on the non-stretchable members 35 and 36 draws the same tightly transversely across the mattress 10 without any perceptible pull on the blanket ll, thereby making it possible to leave a fullness in said blanket; or as heretofore stated, making the blanket ll wider then the members 35 and 36 to which it is attached'atits longitudinal edges. i

Obviously, in place of the two non-stretchable members 36 and 31, a single like member extending under the entire blanket, may be provided or a plurality of relatively narrow members may be provided for securing the blanket relative to the crib 8.

The surface shading on the blanket II, in the several views, indicates the direction in which the wales extend, and the double-headed arrows,

marked on the several views, indicate the direc- ,to permit free movement of the torso andlimbs under the blanket ll wlth'the resulting comfort and safety. I

The head member 35 extends under the neck opening I8 and beyond the same toward the foot member 36, so that the shoulders of the infant rest on said head member. Said head member 35, in addition to its use in securing the blanket II to the crib 8, serves another important function in that it prevents drafts between the mattress ID and the blanket H, and thus protects the arms and shoulders of the infantin case the valances or flaps I4 and I5 should become loose from under the mattress l0 where they are tucked, asshown in Figures 5 and 6. The foot member 36 also prevents drafts under the blanket H at the foot of the crib.

The valances or flaps I4 and 15, in addition to keeping drafts from under the blanket H and giving the crib Ba neat appearance, materially assist in holding the blanket l in position on the crib 8 when it is tucked under the mattress.

The Word crib is herein used in a broad sense to cover any type of bed. 7

From what has been said, it will be understood that the improved bed blanket described is capable of modifications as to details of construction and arrangement within the scope of the invention herein disclosed and claimed.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a blanket of the class described, a plurality'of panels of one-way-stretch sheet material including a main panel and an end panel connected to each other edge to edge and being arranged so that the stretch of the material of the main panel is in a direction transversely of the blanket and the adjoining end panel is stretchable longitudinally of the blanket, fasten ing means 'at the margins of the composite blanket for securing the same relative to a bed, and a neck opening in the blanket, the composite blanket through the arrangement of theone-way stretch panels being capable of stretch in two directions so as to accommodate a human body beneath the same without strain-at the margins or at the neck opening. a

2. A blanket of the class described comprising a main section of one-way stretch elastic fabric stretchable in a direction transversely of the blanket, a neck opening at the upper end thereof, and upper and lower end sections of elastic fabric secured at the upper and lower end of the central section, the fabric of each end section being stretchable in a direction longitudinally of the blanket.

3. In a blanket of the class described, a main body section of one-way stretch elastic fabric stretchable in a direction crosswise of the blanket, and an end section secured at the end of the main section and comprising one-way stretch elastic fabric stretchable in a direction longitudinally of the blanket.

4. In a blanket of the class described, a main body section of one-way stretch elastic fabric. stretchable in a direction crosswise of the blanket;

a neck opening in the upper portion of the body section, and a head section connected to the body section and extending above the neck opening comprising one-way stretch elastic fabric stretchable in a direction longitudinally of the blanket.

5. A blanket of the class described comprising stretchable in a direction transverse of the blanket, a V-shaped cut-out in one end of the body section defined by opposing edgesjwhich are oppositely inclined tb each other and to the direction of stretch of the fabric of the body section;

and a triangular end section extending into the" V-shaped cut-out and connected to said oppositely inclined edges, said end section comprising elastic fabric stretchable in a direction longitudinally of the blanket.

7. A blanket of the class described having a neck opening and formed to include a main body section of one-way stretch elastic fabric stretchable in a direction crosswise of the blanket, V-shaped notches in the upper and lower ends of the main body section, and triangular end sections extending into the notches at the upper and lower ends of the body section and being connected to the body section, said end sections being of one-way stretch elastic fabric stretchable in a direction lengthwise of the blanket.

8. In a blanket of the class described, a main body section of one-way stretch elastic fabric stretchable in a direction crosswise of the blanket, and an end section connected to the body section and being of one-way stretch fabric stretchable in a direction lengthwise of the blanket, a

sheet-like member of inelastic material underly- 1 ing said end section and underlying a portion of the main body section, said member being secured to the edge of the end section and being secured to the side edges of the main body section, and

fastening means at the opposite side edges of the e blanket anchored to the inelastic member for holding the inelastic member drawn tightly over a bed without causing stretching of the blanket fabric and while permitting the blanket fabric to stretch relative to the inelastic member.

9. In a blanket of the class described, a main body section of one-way stretch elastic fabric stretchable inn direction crosswise of the blanket, a neck opening in the upper part of the main body section, an upper end section secured to the body 3 section extending above the neck opening and being of elastic fabric stretchable in a direction lengthwise of the blanket, and a sheet-like member of inelastic material secured to the upper edge of the end section and extending downwardly beneath the neck opening, and being secured to the side edges of the main body section, and fastening means at the side edges of the blanket anchored to the sheet-like member and adapted to hold the sheet-like member drawn tightly over a bed without stretching the blanket fabric.

mmAN'MALAn. 

